


Disappeared in the light of day

by Saramago



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:21:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26950564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saramago/pseuds/Saramago
Summary: Mary-single mother that is trying to at least somehow make ends meet and provide a good life to a child, Zelda is not very successful woman who long time ago made the decision to devote every possible second career and finally achieved success, becoming the chief of Department on investigation of cases of disappeared people. They are brought together by an incident-the disappearance of Mary's child.
Relationships: Zelda Spellman & Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith, Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith
Kudos: 8





	1. Wednesday

Wednesday, early evening  
On the street near the embankment it was surprisingly quiet, all the people seemed to have decided at once to close in their houses, not going anywhere, the usually noisy street, teeming with neighbors, washing each other's bones, children, tirelessly chasing balls, then each other, as if completely died out, if not for the light streaming from the windows, you would think that all the inhabitants of this place at one moment decided to leave it. Bicycles lay here and there, and balls and sticks were thrown in the middle of the game. But the reason for everything was a holiday, Easter.  
There was only one person on the deserted street leading a child: a woman dressed in a long summer dress was running down the street, holding the hand of a small boy. They stopped at a large wooden door, decorated with beautiful, somewhat intricate carvings. The woman had just raised her hand, before even knocking once, when the door opened, giving the street the aromas of spices, herbs, and freshly prepared hot dishes.  
-Here you are!the woman said happily, pulling the boy inside:-how's my favorite boy? How's my lovely granddaughter?  
The young woman lovingly watched her mother, who, like a caring mother hen, tried to surround the boy with warmth from all sides. Her mother was a true hearth-Keeper in every way, caring, bright, and the very sight of her gave off an incredible warmth and home comfort. Even her portly body did not make her heavy, her cheeks became even bigger when she smiled, but this only made the woman prettier, combined with gray hair, the picture turned out to be simply wonderful, as if Kaia was not from this time, no, as if she came from Borovikovsky's¹ paintings, even her plump hands with short fingers looked like a work of art. The old woman's eyes shone bright and far away, was more like caramel candies, her snub-nosed, small nose seemed always on the alert, waiting for new adventures, and the edges of her thin lips seemed always to be raised in a tender smile to the whole world.  
-Mary, why are you standing at the door? Sit down at the table, everyone is already here, just waiting for you,-a tall, black-browed guy called loudly, who even sitting at the table looked huge.  
-Yes, I'm on my way,-the woman said.-I'm sorry that I was so late, there is a traffic jam in the center, the bus is full, everyone wants to go home to their family.  
-What did you want? We told you to leave earlier, you'll be here by four o'clock with this traffic, but you young people want everything your own way, so why listen to anyone?-pipe away is the sister of mother Grila², who Is thin with anger, as the mother, used to say the big nose Grila.  
Mary decided not to respond to the attack, just smiled at her aunt and said Hello to her father. He only nodded in response, completely engrossed in conversation with Grila's husband, Leppa³.  
-That's it,-Kaia chirped cheerfully as she entered the room.-I hope everything is in place. Estee and Lantz won't honor us with their presence, and I'm happy for them, but it's too much to be all the time in the backwater.  
-Where's Ezra?-Mary asked excitedly.  
-Don't worry so much, all the children immediately ran to the courtyard, playing with each other. The neighborhood boys are there with them, and your brother's children will look after him. Don't worry so much,-Kaia said, smiling warmly and sitting down on her husband's right hand.  
At the same time, in the courtyard, children were raging, shouting, fooling around, spending time away from adults, and enjoying it with all their heart.  
Ezra, seeing an opportunity, passed a pass to a neighbor boy, thereby helping to score another goal for their team. Even in short shorts and a light tank top without sleeves, he managed to sweat as if he was wrapped in ten fur coats. The round ended in favor of their team, and the exhausted children decided to relax and just sit on the bench. While everyone was talking enthusiastically to each other, he got distracted and began to look at everything around him. The sun was about to set, but part of it was still visible in the sky, illuminating their makeshift field. From this point, he could even see a small dark alley leading to a narrow road. Usually no one used it, the road to which it led was not very popular, it was usually used only by local people to get to each other faster. But today Ezra saw something unusual: a rather large light blue car, the windows were darkened, but it seemed to the boy that whoever was sitting inside was not taking their eyes off him, even watching when he blinked. He was distracted from these thoughts by a question:  
-I don't know,-the boy said, spreading his arms.  
-What are you two talking about? You'd better come and play with us,-the girl next door called, and the boys looked at each other and ran quickly, wanting to be the first to get to the ball.  
The laughter in the room verse, but then someone started to tell a new story, not allowing the noone to relax just and minutes:  
-We decided with friends to celebrate the birthday of Ercan,-a mutual friend-and we had not even a glass of wine to drink, as a friend, of exchange student, and sneezed as her nose on the table hit,- what happened next none of the laughter uncle Leppa's not heard.  
In the window, only small sunbeams could be seen, which seemed to say goodbye to the earth, covering it with their last warmth. All the people at the table were engrossed in the story of the clumsy student, until they were distracted by a loud knock on the door:  
-I'm going to rip someone's hands off! Who taught you to open the door like that, girl?Howard, the head of the family, said menacingly, looking at his granddaughter as she entered.  
-I'm sorry, grandpa,-the pale-faced girl said, almost crying and stammering.  
-Don't yell at the child,-Kaia said, glaring at her husband,-come here, honey, grandma will pour you some juice, and while you call the other guys, and we'll have dinner.  
-I'm on my way,-Adele said, giving her grandfather a startled look.  
Mary always liked to see how her fearsome father was always embarrassed by her mother's evil gaze, even though he knew that it was more for show. Still muttering to herself, Kaia moved toward the kitchen, preparing to feed the hungry but still so beloved granddaughters.  
-Ugh, I feel like we should run, these flowers of life won't leave anything behind, they won't even eat the table,-Mary's younger brother, Harry, said as the back door opened to let the three kids in.  
-I'm thirsty,-Adele said, walking straight into her father's arms.  
Mary watched the scene with some warm in her heart, realizing that Harry had gone from being a scamp and a street boy to a real support for his family, he had grown up like all of them. The realization was both frightening and exciting. Now they are responsible for the children, not the parents for them, time goes too fast. Only yesterday Ezra was born, and today he is already 6, very soon he will be an adult, and Mary was afraid of this day like fire.  
-Adele, why didn't you call here Ezra?- the Kaia asked, handing the children mugs of cool juice. It was only then that Mary realized that in all the confusion, she hadn't noticed the main thing-her son.  
-He wasn't with us when Adele came,-isping Logan muttered quickly, drawing everyone's attention to him. The boy did not even realize what he said, trying to understand what happened, he looked uncertainly at his mother, looking for support in her eyes, the same one just smiled at him, saying:  
-Maybe he played with the neighbor's children?  
-No, everyone's gone home a long time ago,-Adele said calmly to Harry, who instantly frowned and, handing his daughter to his wife, moved to the back door.  
Mary immediately looked at her mother in fright, realizing that her son, her child, was somewhere on the street, where she wasn't even close, where anyone could hurt him, and she took off and immediately ran towards the courtyard. When she came out, she immediately tried to find the little black head with her eyes, but it didn't work, and she immediately started calling for Ezra, hoping that he would respond:  
-Ezra! Ezra! Son, come out, please!the woman screamed at the top of her lungs. But there was no answer, only the creak of the door as Harry came in from somewhere.  
Kaia confused watching everything going on, trying to understand what happened:  
-He is not on the street,-said Harry,-I'll go to the neighbors, Mary already ran in the yards, maybe went out and just got lost somewhere, and the noise we make, is Hatty looked at her and asked:-Adele, dear, you saw something? Maybe which way did he go?  
The girl raised her eyebrows, trying to remember something, but after a few seconds she shook her head.  
-It's all right, daughter, it's all right,-Harry said soothingly, then looked at Kaia seriously, saying, -Mom, call the police.  
The sun had already sunk below the horizon, and there were still remnants of its light to help passers-by see where they were going. But there were no passers-by, chandeliers were lit in all the houses, and from all the houses came the sound of merry laughter, the chatter of children, and the clink of appliances. And only behind a large wooden door, with a stunning beauty of carvings, it was quiet.

Wednesday, late in the evening  
The Department received a call, the usual thing, another child who just got lost somewhere in the neighboring yards, but because of the concerned families, over-blowing and bubbling grandmothers and mothers, it was necessary to send as much as a group of employees. Taking a deep breath and stretching in her chair, the woman looked out the window with a relaxed expression. The working day ended two hours ago, but Zelda decided to finish the next report. Closed cases are a reason for pure pleasure, how nice it is to put a signature and seal on the last page. The murder of the master miniaturist had taken a lot out of her, and it had been a long time since she'd seen such a complicated story. Thomas was the very talented person who paid for this talent. It would seem that art should not bring harm, but some people thought differently, some sincerely believed that only he was worthy to work on a book. The book... the Illustrations, isn't that the strangest reason to kill? The desire to find out what is hidden, to see the work of other masters, the desire to understand why he is not the only one. Zein, Timon, Lala and Thomas... Four masters, four geniuses who created a masterpiece like a mosaic, getting the story piece by piece, recreating the moments piece by piece. But envy killed one of them. One of them considered himself superior, one of them drew perfectly, but without a soul, one of them went to great lengths to see the part that the other master was working on. One of them killed the other. Poor Thomas, rich only in his talent for illustration. Zelda immediately realized that the killer was a colleague, the killer was an envious person, the killer was one of the remaining ones. But it was not Zelda who unleashed the whole drama, the play in several acts that tells the complicated story of the relationship between the master and the disciple, who tried to surpass everyone in order to reach the level of his genius. That made it even more depressing. A woman is far from painting, she can not understand the style, can not understand what the picture says, its language. Another miniaturist I could. But she was not offended, not even envious, this case helped her realize an important detail: the devil is in the details. She might not be an artist, but now she could see the signs, recreate the details in her head. This story taught her a lot. More than a lot. Zelda is grateful to the miniaturist, grateful to Kara for the most important lesson - she learned not to look, but to see.  
She was finally able to understand what was driving Kara, she saw the picture. Lala Enishte, who had previously been a simple craftsman in her eyes, finally took off his mask in front of her eyes. Zelda now saw not just a part from a painting, not just an illustration, no, she saw a life story, a story of envy. Blueness, solid blueness, as if the blood of a dead man was on every millimeter. Lala even didn't hide the fact that he was the killer, but she was as blind as a newly born kitten and didn't see the challenge. But at last the woman saw clearly, at last she understood everything.  
Zelda continued to think about nothing, looking out of the window of her office at passers-by, while her team was already preparing to view every nook and cranny of the street. But first of all, the operatives needed to calm the unfortunate mother:  
-Miss...-the policeman stammered, realizing that he had not asked either the mother's name or surname.  
-She is Mary, Mary Wardwell,-a gray-haired man answered for her, whose emotions were difficult to understand not only from his voice, but also from his appearance. He looked less like the giant Gration; part of his face was covered by a long, well-groomed beard, and his thick brows seemed always to be drawn together with heavy thoughts. He looked directly into the eyes of the operative, and his gaze was so heavy that the unfortunate man was confused, but it lasted just a few seconds-the police officer quickly regained control, continuing:  
-Miss Wardwell, my name is Henry, your, I believe, brother reported that your son is missing,-the man stopped and looked at the victim, waiting for that at least some clear answer, but heard only increased sobs.-I understand your situation, but please answer my questions, or we won't move.-Miss Wardwell, please gather yourselves. What was your son wearing? What's his name?  
Mary looked through tear-stained eyes at the man, at Henry, and vaguely began to understand where she was and what was happening to her. She stared at the man in the police uniform, noting that his features were insanely regular. Her brain seemed to refuse to accept reality, focusing on unnecessary details. A defensive reaction of the body, which Mary, alas, could not control, only after a few minutes began to realize what was happening around.  
-Ah, um... Name… Yes, the name... -the woman said absently.-Ezra, his name is Ezra.  
Picking up a pen and notepad, Henry realized that he could finally start working:  
-So, Miss Wardwell, shall we continue?-looking into the eyes of the victim, the man asked, and after receiving an affirmative nod, continued:-What was Ezra wearing?  
Mary gasped, trying to calm herself. Finally, she was able to pull herself together: her eyes were steady, tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she did not pay attention to this, realizing that every second counts, and only in a calm state can she help her boy.  
-What he was wearing? So, what he was wearing,-repetition was more of a way to bring herself to a state of rest.-He was wearing a t-shirt, light green, with a pattern that looks like this… This… I do not know, Ezra loves this hero so much,-Mary said with a note of despair, because she could not remember such a small, but nevertheless important detail.  
-You can just describe what the drawing looked like,-Henry suggested.  
-Yes. Yes, this is the way out,-the woman said humbly.-There was a gopher on the shirt… Well, or something similar to it, such a long one, something like a cat, only it stands on two legs, and not on four. Mary took a deep breath, filling her lungs with air.  
Henry looked at the woman thoughtfully and took out his phone. As he typed something into the search bar, the man mumbled,  
-I think I understand what you're talking about,-and paused for a moment as he scrolled through the results and handed Ezra's mother's cell phone.-It's a meerkat, Timon, and I think that's what's on the t-shirt.  
Mary picked up the phone, immediately realizing that Henry was right.  
-Yes, Yes, this is Simon,-the woman said, nodding.  
-Timon,-the policeman corrected unconsciously, taking the phone back to him and immediately asking:-What else was the boy wearing?  
The woman wondered again trying to restore in my head all the way down to the color of the laces on moccasins.  
-Shorts, dark blue, denim, we took them last summer, but they were too big for him. Ezra ran into the store, and didn't want to leave, said she want them, so I gave up, but I was allowed to wear their him only now, he was drowning in their, but at the house refused to remove, stubborn boy, while Mary was attached to the memories cop something hard outlined, thus allowing the woman to talk.-Moccasins, too, white ones with blue stars on the sides.  
-Well,-Henry interrupted,-were there any scars or birthmarks that would help identified Ezra? Mary's brows rose, giving her a puzzled rather than frightened look: -Mmm, yes. On the back of the neck, a large birthmark, I was afraid when I first saw it,I thought that there might be some kind of disease. You know, in everything what terms of children, it's better to be safe, -the woman said with a smile.-But there was nothing wrong, thank God. There's nothing else like that. -Well. Who was the last person to see the baby? -Children, they were playing in the courtyard, my prisoners were also the neighborhood children, Adele-my niece,-explained Mary,-ran home, they ran out of water, or juice, I don't remember exactly; it was already dark outside, so we asked to call the others into the house, it's already time for dinner, and it's dark outside,-the woman again had tears in her eyes, her eyes looked down, and her voice began to break, but she continued:-But Ezra was no longer with them. Henry carefully recorded all the data while his colleague interviewed Harry. The man was confident, calmly answering all the questions posed by Lena-the police officer. He was absolutely sure that his nephew just ran out of the yard and couldn't find his way back, but anyway, this is a child who might believe in the wrong company, this is a child who is hard to spot on the road, this is a child, and this is, after all, his nephew. -Diana, my wife, and my children and I arrived an hour earlier than Mary and Ezra. The children immediately went to play, you know, it is difficult to relax with the kids, even to communicate normally is not possible-they want to play, have fun, so we immediately sent them to the courtyard. Mom gave them sweets and juice so they wouldn't run home for nothing,- Harry breathed out, catching his breath. The interrogation was difficult for him.-I can't imagine how Mary feels. If something had happened to my children,- the man stopped abruptly, drawing the operative's attention: the muscles in his cheekbones were working hard, his nostrils were flaring, and his eyes were a little lost. Harry seemed to have completely forgotten where he was, completely lost in the maelstrom of his thoughts. -Mister Wardwell, I understand your emotions are running high, The situation is complicated, but let's get back to business, every second counts,-the police officer said, distracting the man from his heavy thoughts. Harry tensed, remembering his childhood walks, every brick, every stone, and where the road paved with stone led. -If you go down, you can go directly to the embankment. Lena paused for a moment, thinking.: -Why did you use this road at all? For delivery of products? -Absolutely true, when I was still a small child, food was brought here, we, and all our neighbors, bought everything that was in cars, cheaper, and more profitable, at least there was no need to carry bags home,-Harry awkwardly rummaged to joke, but seeing that the policeman did not react in any way, he was slightly embarrassed. -Clearly. Do cars still drive there? Harry thought about it and shook his head affirmatively: -Our neighbors sometimes come home like this, the street is usually full of children, women, you know, this traffic complicates, so the fastest and easiest option is to go around. The woman was writing something carefully in a notebook. Harry only now noticed her, and realized that she had some southern roots, her sharp features and large brown eyes framed by thick lashes gave her away. Harry noticed that the police officer who had been talking to Mary came up to say goodbye to her and moved towards them. -Good afternoon, my name is Henry,- the policeman said, holding out his hand to Harry.-Mister Wardwell and I have already finished, can I interview your children? Perhaps they saw something?Hasan asked as the man shook his hand in return. Harry thought for a moment and looked towards the kitchen, where his wife and children were now. He thought again about what he would do if his child went missing, would he want Ezra to answer questions that might help one of his little ones? The answer lay on the surface. -Yes, of course, but only with Adele, she is the eldest, most likely only she noticed what was happening. Logan and Rachel are still kids, they don't even understand anything,-Harry said, getting up and turning toward the kitchen. The man took one last look at his tearful sister and father, who had not moved away from her for a second since Ezra disappeared, and disappeared from the living room. -Do you think we'll find him quickly?-Lena asked. She was a newbie, only two years in the service, still not used to it, still waiting for the great investigation, but she did not understand that they would not be conducting these cases, their work was a survey, fines, if they were lucky, help in the search, but no more. The girl is still too naive in every sense. But sooner or later, she will understand and accept her fate. -Yes, I think so. Just a small boy ran somewhere, and relatives, as usual, make a big deal out of a molehill. In an hour or two, he will be home, and he won't even understand why we were looking for him,-Henry said confidently. He has already seen more than a lot of such cases in all 10 years of work. Children sometimes are are assholes, they will do something, and then they are afraid to say, they hide, waiting for punishment from their parents, and they have already turned gray with horror. Henry is more than sure that the boy is somewhere nearby, there is no point in worrying. -Adele, everything will be fine,-Harry assured her, carrying his daughter in his arms. Here, they'll just ask you a few questions. Harry sat down next to Adele while the police tried to establish contact with the child. the woman asked with a smile, receiving an affirmative nod, and continued: -My name is Lena, and you know your cousin's gone somewhere, right? The little girl shook her head and looked at her father in confusion, but he only smiled reassuringly and took her hand. -Honey, did you see something strange where Ezra went?-trying to carefully watch the child's reaction, the woman continued. Adele frantically gasped sharply and squeezed his father's hand and started to cry. Harry immediately began to calm his daughter while she mumbled something unintelligible. -Adele, please calm down. That's all right. No one will hurt you. Please, my daughter,-Harry said in confusion. -I-I didn't think… I didn't know....the girl gasped between sobs. Lena and Henry looked at each other and tensed, and the girl started to breathe again, but the police couldn't wait any longer, if their guess was right, then even a fraction of a second could play an important role. -Adele, please tell me what happened. No one will blame you, but help us, help Ezra,-Henry said seriously to the girl, trying to keep himself in control and not to put pressure on her. -There.. there was the car, still sobbing replied Adele.-It's a big blue one. I didn't look at it at all, we were playing with the guys, and then I got thirsty. I saw Ezra walk up to that car, but I was thirsty. I didn't think… I didn't know,-the girl began to sob again. Harry stared at his daughter in shock, while Henry called the police station, knowing that he and Lena would not be able to cope on their own. Zelda was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice that she was falling asleep. Her serene journey to the realm of Morpheus was accompanied only by the ticking of the clock and the quiet hum of computers. The phone on the table, which had not shown any signs of life before, vibrated, causing the sleeping woman to twist her face in displeasure. When she finally opened her eyes, she realized that it had been at least two hours since Henry and Lena had left for the scene, and seeing that the call was coming from the same police officer, she immediately shook off the remnants of sleep and picked up the phone. -Yes,-said Zelda, putting a professional tone to her voice. -Commander, we have an emergency, when can you come?-Henry said in a split second. -Got it, I'll be there in half an hour.- After hanging up the phone, the woman immediately moved to the exit. She knew perfectly well that a man wouldn't bother her for nothing. They worked together for almost ten years, and during this time, Mr. Basharan showed only the best side: he understood what was part of his duties, never got into trouble, but you could always rely on him. If Zelda knew anything for sure, it was that if Henry had called her back, the case really needed her intervention. The road did not take long: it was a pleasure to drive along the deserted roads of Istanbul. The highway was lit only by car headlights and a few lampposts. Finally, Zelda noticed her colleagues ' car parked next to the house. The woman just managed to get out of the car, as Henry immediately flew up to her. -Good night, miss Spellman,-greeted the policeman. -Well, since we're both here, he's not so kind. What happened?-Zelda asked wearily. -The boy disappeared, Ezra Wardwell, at first I thought everything as usual: I ran away somewhere in the neighbor's yard, but I couldn't return. But Adele, a cousin of the missing boy, said she saw him approach a car. No one saw the boy after that. -Clearly. I'll look at the scene myself. I hope you've already called the investigation team. There is no point in conducting a survey of neighbors now. Hardly anyone will even open the door, but you need to work quickly-every second counts,-Zelda said in one breath as she entered the house.-Ask the mother for a photo of the child, let them print and post ads about his loss tomorrow. As soon as the door creaked, the eyes of everyone present immediately turned to the newcomers. Zelda wasn't the least bit embarrassed. She looked at everyone in the room, putting each of them on the list of kidnappers in absentia. -I'm an investigator for particularly important cases, Mary Wardwell,-introduced woman.-The investigation team will be here within half an hour, please be patient if we want to find the boy… -Ezra. His name is Ezra,-one of the womans said sharply, and Zelda immediately realized that this was most likely the child's mother. His thin face was painfully pale from the stress he had endured, his eyes had lost all their brightness, and his eyes were not once blue, as if they were apatite, but red from the spilled tears of a cataract. -What are you going to do?!- jumping up from the chair and switching to a shout, the woman asked.-How are you going to find my boy?! Everyone in the room looked surprised by this change in the mood of the previously heartbroken woman, but not Zelda. She'd seen it dozens, maybe hundreds of times. The remaining mothers who did not know what to expect, who only hoped for the best, but some of them were waiting only for grief and suffering. Sometimes the belief in a bright and good future is better than the truth, but no one had the right to hide the truth. What Zelda saw was not an angry fury, but a desperate mother who just wanted to know the truth, and the task of the investigator was to find out everything possible. -Mister Wardwell, please understand that only by working together will we bring Ezra home,-Zelda said soothingly. Mary slumped wearily in her chair, too exhausted to continue the conversation. It was only the first day, not even a day-the first hours, and she was already desperate, because there could be more such hours, they could turn into weeks, months, and this was frightening. Seeing the woman slump in her chair and start to breathe again, Zelda decided to take matters into her own hands. The investigator went to Zelda and squatted down next to her, and she took The woman's hands in hers. -Miss Wardwell, I promise you that we will do everything we can to find Ezra. I'll do the search myself. Please calm down, we all want your son to return home as soon as possible,-Zelda soothingly stroked the woman's hands, looking directly into her eyes. Mary was silent, tears streaming from her eyes, the woman's gaze was fixed directly on the investigator, but she seemed to be looking through her, lost in her dreams. There was no sound in the room, as if they were swallowed up in a vacuum, as if the whole world had disappeared. Everyone present looked at this picture of pain and despair, at two women who had the same goal, but the reasons were completely different. No one dared interrupt them. This moment of ecstasy, interrupted only by the wail of a police siren and the blue-red glare in the windows, was like a respite before a real war. The clock struck twelve. Thursday came.


	2. Thursday I

Thursday morning  
There is such a definition in the Turkish language-mış. The time elapsed from the end. This time is also very appropriate in the story of those times when we were lying in the cradle, riding in a stroller or taking our first steps, because we learn about the first years of our life from our parents years later, and listening to their stories with intense interest, as if we are looking at someone else's first steps and listening to someone else's first words. This magical feeling, similar to what we experience when we see ourselves in a dream, contributes to the habit that accompanies us all our lives: the habit of judging the meaning of all the events of our life - and even the most intense of its pleasures-based on someone else's opinions. Listening to stories about our childhood, we willingly believe them, and later we begin to imagine that we actually remember what we were told about, and already share these "memories" with others"; in the same way, what others have said about the various events we have experienced, over time, not only becomes our own judgments, but also becomes an important part of our memories of these events.  
Ezra, too, liked to hear stories about his infancy, as if he were plunging into the world of fairy tales and epics again and again, asking Mary to tell the same stories about his first steps, about his first smile, about how she took him in her arms for the first time. Only now Ezra wasn't with her, she was alone. Now Mary was alone in remembering such sweet moments. But she was not alone-investigator Spellman waited patiently for the woman to pay attention to her and finally answer the questions.  
Mary just sat there thinking, remembering every second. This was the first time a baby was being put to her breast, and just a week ago, a neighbor, Louise, came to them and praised Ezra for how beautifully he read the verse, and although Mary had a difficult relationship with Louise, she knew very well that a woman in her son doted on her. She remembered the day Ezra stole detergent from the kitchen and spent half a bottle writing on the asphalt under the house that he loved his mother. Then she hands him wanted to tear off, and at the same moment tend, hug not to let go, so he didn't grow up, to do things that further showed his childish, innocent love. All she could do now was console herself with these memories, but Mary knew all too well that she had chosen the wrong time and place for her emotional release.  
-Ms. Wardwell, let's start over,-the investigator said wearily,-is there anyone who would want to harm you or your child?  
-For the tenth time I say no, I have no enemies, if I'm not at work, I'm with Ezra.  
-I have to ask these questions, every detail is important,- Zelda received only an irritated look in response, which she chose to ignore, understanding the position of the woman opposite.-Well, you didn't come into conflict with anyone at work, there are no bad relations with anyone in the team, with the exception of Irma, but are you sure that she has nothing to do with Ezra's disappearance?  
-Yes,- Mary breathed,- she doesn't have the guts to do anything, she's just mad because I was appointed head nurse last year, we had a conflict at work, and that's where it's going.  
Zelda made another footnote in her notes, not wanting to lose sight of anything. The sheet was more like an intricate diagram, written in a careless hand, as if it were a student's abstract, rather than an ordered diagram, but Zelda didn't care, she knew exactly what was what, who was who, and who was what. But there were not enough details, there was very little information, the search team, the forensics team, no one had brought her their reports yet. Time, all she needed was more time, but now she couldn't delay-every second counted.  
-What about the father of Ezra?  
Mary's face immediately changed. Her eyes involuntarily rolled back in disgust.  
-Lucifer? No,-said Ms. Wardwell, with a scornful laugh,-he loves Ezra, but he certainly has no idea how to deal with a child. Why would he do that? I do not forbid him to communicate with his son, but he does not even want to take him on weekends.  
-I take it the breakup didn't go well?  
-Just the opposite, I was just a naive fool, I believed that he would change, that I would become the only one, we all have this, don't we?Zelda was about to answer, but belatedly realized that it was just a rhetorical question-Lucifer found another one, and I was just tired of listening to the constant vows, pleas for forgiveness. We are friends, he is my first love, but it should never have gone beyond friendship. Even if Lucifer wanted to take Ezra in, he would have said so, and I don't think his new wife would have been happy to take a child from a previous marriage. Lucifer was never properly interested in Ezra, and if it wasn't for me, there probably wouldn't have been any communication. You see, Lucifer is the type of person who can only love from a distance… His mother, however, often annoyed us, she likes to keep everything under her control, even in the relationship of my parents, but recently she switched to her daughters.  
-Poor things,-Zelda said, and Mary just grinned. Even though it was only a moment of silence and oblivion, they both needed it, especially their heartbroken mother. And as much as the investigator didn't want to interrupt this moment of unity and repose, time still played against them.  
-So, let's continue. You also have a good relationship with your neighbors, and neither your parents ' neighbors nor yours hold a grudge against you. You don't communicate well with missis Queen, but she often visits you?-Zelda asked, frowning.  
-Yes, Irma and I have different views on life, she still keeps her son near her skirt, he's a nice guy, but he's used to having his mother decide everything for him,-Mary explained,-I often quarrel with her about this. But she loves Ezra very much, and he is attached to her, always runs away to her.  
Zelda pressed the stop button on the recorder. There was no one else in the office, and the faint flickering of the white lights and the ticking of the clock didn't make the atmosphere any more relaxed, but at least the hours-long interrogation had finally come to an end.  
-What are you going to do now?  
-Just my job, I will do everything to find him no matter what.  
Mary knew the investigator wasn't lying, but there was only one thing-Zelda hadn't said she'd find Ezra alive.  
-Well, did you learn something new?Henry asked.  
-The neighbors saw the car, but no one can say when it arrived. Only the color was able to find out, even the brand no one really remembered, they only said that it was a van, -Lena replied in disappointment.  
-There are cameras nearby, we will need to send a request for a warrant, so the color is already good, we will understand approximately what we need to look for, once Ms. Spellman told me that the picture consists of brushstrokes, we see only the part that is open to the world, but if you look closely you can see the details. We don't need the whole picture, Lena, it's a goal, but the path to that goal is brushstrokes,- Henry said solemnly.  
-Ms. Spellman speaks so beautifully,-the young woman said admiringly.  
-Of course, we are all not without sin,-the man replied with a smile.  
The sun has already spread its warm rays to meet the earth, illuminating the whole world. The coolness of the night slowly began to recede, transferring its authority to the ruler of the day. Henry stretched luxuriously, exposing his face to the warm rays. Work is work, but a man could never deny himself a few seconds of rest, to contemplate something beautiful. And what could be more beautiful than the world just beginning to Wake up? In Henry's opinion, nothing. He would have remained standing, thinking, contemplated, watching, if it hadn't been for Lena.  
-I don't like this case. Nothing is clear, there is no information. There is nothing, the boy seems to have disappeared into oblivion.  
Henry just let out a sigh of displeasure, Lena's desire to see what is not there simply amazed him, with such a fantasy it's time to write novels, and not work in the police.  
-My dear, I have to disappoint you-there are far fewer mysteries, romance, and so on in our work. This is all for the investigators, we are just their eyes and ears. They should not be distracted by anything, completely giving themselves to the case, and we are bloodhounds, just sniffing and barking if we find something. And, I don't want to upset you, of course, but, my soul, most likely just a half-witted father decided to claim the child in this way,-Henry answered, looking straight into Len's eyes.  
-But if there's something there…  
-If there is something there, it's none of our business, Zelda will do her job perfectly, we just shouldn't interfere with her,-the man immediately interrupted Lena's displeased exclamation.-Do you understand?  
The girl drooped, and Henry thought that she had finally left him alone. He closed his eyes with pleasure-the scents of flowers planted in small pots near each house, the coffee being prepared in each house in anticipation of a new day, merged into one. Here it is, the serenity of the morning calm little streets, there is no noise of the city, then just enveloping silence that makes you forget about everything, giving a few moments for such a needed respite.  
-Is Ms. Spellman really that good?  
Henry opened his eyes, realizing that the rest was finally over. Lena, like any ignorant and young person, was interested in learning everything, and, unfortunately, the share of the Golden thread leading through the tangled maze of police work went to him.  
-Yes, if it is not the best, it is definitely on the list of leaders. I remember our joint work, it was about ten years ago. She was more like you then, just as eager to know everything,-a comparison that made Lena blossom into his best smile. Henry was lying, of course, and Zelda had never been naive enough to look for a world-wide mystery in the simplest case, just facts, just real evidence, but she needed something to comfort her.  
-Well, you may even have heard of this case: the wife of a prominent politician, Martha Murdoch, was murdered along with her lover.  
Lena tensed for a second, trying to remember the girl's name:  
-Yes, Yes, I remember something like that, I believe they were found in the residence, I was still in school.  
Henry just nodded.  
-This was Ms. Spellman's first solo case. I will never forget these pools of blood,-the man grimaced remembering the terrible picture,-they were so cut up that there was no living place left, blood was everywhere, walls, bed, mattress, pillows. The poor thing tried to fight back, but it didn't work. We didn't find anything at the time, and after that we got the photos and forensic reports. And they noticed something unusual: three points, as if forming a triangle. It doesn't look like anything, but the bed is exactly where it was, as if it wasn't touched at all, just rumpled,-Henry slowly pulled out a cigarette, lighting it, while next to him Lena was pining for what happened next.  
-We, of course, immediately decided that there was a criminal in this place, but where did these three points come from? The Department immediately began to wool all the books on the occult, in those years Satanism was very popular, or rather one of its trends, and the symbol actually turned out to be in one book, only the victims did not fit its meaning at all, there was more of a fertility symbol that fit in,-the man sarcastically remarked, taking another drag,-but we decided that it was just occultists losers, we decided to perform the rite but really did not understand anything. Only Zelda didn't believe it, she didn't see what we saw, our department was already celebrating such a victory, and it was a small matter to find these Satanists. I was happy then as a boy who got a new ball, the first job and immediately such a thing, and even as quickly solved, it was not necessary to attract anyone more experienced. But it wasn't that simple.  
-Don't delay, please,-Lena pleaded.  
-Don't rush me, or I won't tell you anything at all,-the policeman threatened, more for show.-The forensics report came in, and according to their report, the strikes couldn't have been made from that trajectory, so we had to start over again. We then worked almost around the clock, my work, although small, but important, also came in handy. Clearly, we were still looking for Satanists, you must admit, this is the most possible option of all. And the most logical, everything fell into place, just the same it did not give rest to Zelda. Everything worked out too well, she practically spent the night at work, while we, having lost all interest, just looked for the culprits of the celebration. We were already preparing to detain and interrogate another Church of Satan, when in the morning, going to work, I did not hear on the news that Zelda and the task force detained the husband of the those actress at night,-Henry watched with pleasure as the girl's eyebrows crept up, giving her a funny ridiculous look.-You don't remember that. Then there was a lot of hype, we were already afraid that she was mistaken, everything was at stake, not only her work, but in fact the fate of the department, consider not the janitor was accused, but a respected man. Everyone thought that there was no proof and she just played around, I personally still believed in the theory with Satanists. And the evidence was there. -How did she even know it wasn't an occult murder?-Lena asked with a spark in her eyes. -Points. All those damn dots and triangles, who's going to look at it at all? But she looked. If you interrupt me again, I won't tell you any more,-Henry warned as the girl opened her mouth again to say something. Lena just exhaled impatiently and clenched her jaw, waiting for him to continue.-Those points, they were smooth like it was triangles lines. -What? Smooth? Is that all?-the police officer couldn't help but comment. -It is impossible to make even points yourself, they either brought a stencil with them, or there was something else there, and we interpreted everything incorrectly. Zelda then and tried to understand that could leave behind such smooth traces, fully smooth triangle, even and place without blood, too all of this was strange,-flicking ash with cigarettes, said a man. -She knew what the trail was, didn't she?-Lena practically squeaked, barely able to keep herself from jumping up and down.-What was that? -Of course I did, or she wouldn't be one of the best,-Henry said quietly.It was the traces of the tripod. -Tripod? What does a tripod was to do in those place? -It's not the tripod, Lena, it's not the tripod, it's what was attached to it. Camera. Only three points, but they were the whole clue,-seeing the bewilderment on Len's face, the man just shook his head and rejoiced at his oratorical skills.-The occultists had nothing to do with it, it was us who misinterpreted what we saw, the answer was always at hand, but we, like you, wandered into the wilds, trying to come up with something that isn't there, with only dubious evidence. -Why was there a murder on camera at all? -That's the interesting part. Arthur Murdoch knew about Martha's infidelities, even the birth of a child did not stop her, but he could not divorce, he was too obsessed with her, she was a great beauty, and she knew her own value, she turned them as she wanted, he always wanted to possess her, but there are women for whom freedom is most important, if they were even three times married, they would not allow themselves to be chained. So Arthur decided that if he can't be the only one who has it during his lifetime, then at least Martha's death will belong to him,- Henry looked into the distance, as if Recalling every moment of that fateful case, a light warm breeze caressed his short dark hair, and Lena watched this action wanting only to listen and listen to every syllable. -Only he didn't have the guts to do it. To imagine how you take someone's life and really do it, not everyone is ready for such a decision. Arthur was still an ambitious man, and he wouldn't dare get his hands dirty. But money works wonders, including bad ones: he hired a few guys who took on any job, as long as they paid. And it was so lucky that they were taken for the cultists, no one would even think to accuse the unfortunate widower with a child in his arms. And he played his part really well, so realistically that I wouldn't have thought of questioning him as a suspect. Zelda somehow managed to figure it out, understand it, and I admire that. I followed his mail, then the Internet was not so popular, and, to be honest, Arthur was terribly old-fashioned, remembering him now, I can't help wondering why such a beautiful woman married him. -Money,-Lena said confidently, and Henry only raised an ironic eyebrow at the statement. -Arthur is not the richest man in the world, Martha would have found ten such men if she wanted, there was something else. She was really beautiful, and really passion woman,-the man sat for a few moments thinking as if about nothing:-once miss Spellman told me that butterflies fly at night to the neon light of lamps, they burn alive, like curious angels who flew too close to the sun. Martha was the butterfly. She knew perfectly well that she was playing a deadly game, but the passion was inside her, I even think that she was a passion herself, and she paid for it. -Did he get the video in his email?-the girl persisted. -Huh? What?-the policeman asked, completely forgetting what he was talking about.-Yes, to the post office, with a cassette, I thought of hiding it well: I made a special niche in the table, even installed a self-ignition mechanism so that no one would know what he was hiding there. To be honest, no one would have thought to go there if it wasn't for the strange hole, and we were literally checking everything, you know-the accusation against such a person can't be groundless, every millimeter of the house was checked, it would have been necessary, we would have looked at the ceiling. So they found this video, no more evidence was needed, he confessed everything. Henry finally finished his story and just stared off into the distance. Lena arrived under an incredible impression, her skin covered with goosebumps, for a second she imagined that she was in Henry's place, followed the work of the entire Department, was part of the case. She was overwhelmed with emotions, as if she was about to explode from this kaleidoscope of feelings. -Lord, how did she even know what happened?-Lena asked, her eyes wide. -I don't know, I didn't ask, only that night I realized one important thing, the thing that will never make me an investigator, I was looking for the simplest option, I was looking for the answer that requires the least questions. She looked at the root, she saw the strokes, and every year her skills only get better. It's an honor for both of us to work with her, but it's not a theory, it's Ms. Spellman's job, we help her, and believe me, our contribution, though subtle, is just as important. Teach them not to listen, but to hear, then you will not be replaced, then you will become a gear that helps the mechanism in Zelda's head to work. Understand?Henry asked as he took a last drag on the cigarette and put it in the box. -Yes, I understand. But haven't you ever wondered how she does it?t-he girl persisted. -No. And remember to stay out of her work. Shall we go to the station? We need to report back in a good way. Zelda got a response from the forensics team half an hour ago. Nothing. Nothing at all. No trace of projectors, no blood, no braking distance around the corner. But this is also the result: the driver is familiar with the road, or at least, he was in no hurry. This gives a certain ground for thoughts. Did Ezra know who took it? Was Ezra trusting enough to go to a stranger? Was the criminal afraid of being seen? Questioning the family, particularly the mother, was of no use at all. A standard family, no enemies, no problems, happy in its own way. But something must be wrong. Something about the boy attracted those who kidnapped him. No news from Henry or Lena yet, but knowing Henry, Zelda assumed that he would prefer to report everything in person, and she liked this approach to the case, he only came to the station when he knew exactly what was going on. Behind the seemingly careless attitude to work was a tenacious mind, Yes, he is not a master at solving riddles, he looks only from one angle, sees only the part that is allowed to see, but in the ability to listen, there is no equal to him, if Henry does not find anything, no one will find it. Today, the universe was kind to her-there was a knock on her office door, and Zelda knew exactly who was on the other side. -Come in. -Ms. Spellman, good morning,-Lena chirped immediately. Zelda only nodded at her, immediately turning to Henry: -Well? Did you learn something? -Not much, but Yes, we did. Lena found out that the car was a light blue color, presumably a van. Not far from there, down the embankment, where the car allegedly went, there are cameras. I think you should send a warrant to seize the video, it will be answered faster than my request. -Okay, is there anything else?-already plunging into the notes asked the woman. -Yes, one of the neighbors said that the car arrived presumably at two o'clock. This also coincides with the girl's testimony, they arrived later, which means that the car was already there for about two hours. That is all. -Good job, I'll send a request for a warrant right away.-If anything happens, be ready to leave,-Zelda warned. -Do you really think they'll do what they need to do?!-angrily asked the father of Mary. -I don't know, I can only believe in them. Who else can find my son besides them?the woman asked, almost crying with despair. Almost the entire family was back in the kitchen. While Abraham and Mary argued fiercely with each other, Harry tried to support his mother-Kaia had not been able to recover from the previous evening. She had always considered herself a model grandmother who could certainly look after children, and her grandson had disappeared from the yard, it was her fault. -Then what do you suggest we do? Do you want to play a hero in your old age? Maybe that's enough, I can't stand it anymore, they don't tell me any more than you do, they just started looking. Slow down and wait until they find something… Abraham opened his mouth to continue arguing with his daughter, but Harry decided to stop their pointless argument: -Mary is right, father, calm down, we don't know anything yet. As soon as they find out something, they'll tell us, we don't even know what kind of car it is. How do you want to find it? We have nothing. The room was dead silent. Abraham knew perfectly well that the children were right, he was just shouting now, while someone was really looking for his grandson, they had already put up ads, he was not even capable of this. Despair was eating at him from the inside: how could it happen that they could actually take the child right out of the house, right in front of his eyes? Why didn't anyone think to call them home earlier? Why didn't anyone think about children? But the man knew perfectly well that there was no point in looking for the culprit-everyone and no one was to blame; this is not the first family gathering, this is not the first dinner together, during which children played on the street. Only he could be the last, if not for everyone, then for one for sure. The only thing he can do is wait. The unknown, like an animal from ancient stories, like an octopus, took him into its dark depths, not even allowing him to breathe fresh air, not even allowing him to see what was happening around him. And only time could be a light in this darkness, what a pity that they do not have it at all.


	3. Thursday II

Thursday, day  
They received the order quickly, not even three hours after the request. Everything was going as well as possible. Every second counts, the boy may already be far abroad, may already be in the morgue, or may simply be locked in a room without windows and doors. Zelda understood this, and she did not hesitate-within ten minutes, Henry went to remove the video from the camera. The sun was at its zenith scorching the ground, warming the air, but the station was cool, and the same coldness came from Zelda. She was waiting, just waiting for Henry to come back, for her to get more information, more puzzles. Lena watched every movement of the investigator, as if trying to get inside her mind. It was first a part of something so important, for the first time she had the honour next to the person that is actually someone's life, she for the first time with the one whose mind can solve complex puzzles. After Henry's story, Lena was finally able to understand why Zelda was so respected, why she was trusted, why her opinion was respected: she looked at things from different angles, studying even the smallest detail, and it was amazing, she made bold assumptions even in the direction of seemingly innocent people.   
-How long are you going to stare at me?-the investigator asked dispassionately, instantly embarrassing Lena.   
-I'm sorry, I was just thinking. I think we need to act faster,- the girl lied, trying to hide her embarrassment.  
Zelda looked at Lena carefully, but the naivety and inexperience of some people makes you happy, you remember yourself, just as young in those days when your hands burned, and your head did not think, but did.  
-How do you see it? We have absolutely nothing, I'm already looking at suspects, but there aren't any. Our only chance to get something is a video. Time is playing against us, but sometimes it's worth losing two moves to advance ten steps at once. This is your first case, right?receiving an affirmative nod, Zelda continued:-I think Henry has told you what you should do. Take his example, he's smarter than she pretends to be, I don't need to ask to know it is there somewhere the camera, I don't need to ask again whether he was sure about something, because he just will not call me just so he won't panic just calmly judge will evaluate the situation and only then start calling everyone and everything, if necessary. You are lucky to have such a person as a mentor, Yes, he is not much older than you, but he has a lot of experience and talent, appreciate it and watch him, because he's really talented and gifted, you should listening to him, he's so helpful that even sometimes I think that he passes words only through his mouth, forgetting to use his brain along the way. That's really strange, but on our way that's the best.  
The last sentence has made Lena smile. Still, but anybody can't even think of a more accurate description for Henry. And, as if hearing from afar that it was about him, the man burst into the office.  
"I was beginning to worry about where you were vanished," Zelda said, reaching out to take the bag with the flash drive.   
-Sorry, the master was late. I'm still glad that we installed these DVRs last year, a useful thing, at least we can find out who is violating the rules and when.   
"They do their job one hundred percent,"Zelda said, inserting the flash drive into the slot. As soon as the characteristic sound that notifies the start of syncing the device and computer was heard, a window with many files immediately opened on the screen.   
-God, and we need to watch all this?-Lena asked.  
Zelda raised an eyebrow at the girl.  
-Did you remember I told you that it is necessary not only to filtrated through the mouth but through the brain? This also concerns you too,-the investigator told the shamed Lena.-The system is configured so that every day the recording starts automatically and goes to a new file. we don't need to watch all the days, we only need yesterday's one.   
-Why are there video recorders was at those at all? It's a waste of money, no one goes there,-Lena asked.  
-Usually such small places lead to large avenues. Although arnavutkei has never been a center, but going down the embankment you can get to the highway, and from there you can safely go in any direction. It's a quiet street, the locals say no one drives, but the waterfront is a popular place, so it makes sense that it's being watched,-Henry explained.   
-That's good for us, they're using their cameras to look at the whole square, not the road itself, but the view is the clearest,-Zelda muttered  
, tapping her fingers on the keyboard.-Here, I found it, now we'll see where they went.   
The police and the investigator were immediately on alert, looking for even a speck of dust. Zelda turned on fast-forward and continued to watch what was happening on the screen. Several long minutes passed in this way, as if they were working together and blinking in turn, not wanting to lose sight of the video for even a fraction of a second.   
-What are we going to do, miss Spellman?-Henry asked.  
-I will try to zoom in on the video myself, as long as we don't change the trajectory, the numbers will be blurred, and this proof is useless.  
-And you can't bring it closer in this case?  
-We are not in a spy movie, Lena, there are limits to technology, and, alas, if something went wrong on the set, even the Creator of electricity together with Holmes will not help you,-the man explained.-And then we may not be lucky: the car may not be registered to the criminal, even in principle, there may not be registration, then we will have to send out guidance.   
-Or we will follow the path of less resistance: knowing what the car looks like to make a request and already follow the car on the cameras, this is a more tedious process, but a win-win at least because we will know exactly where they turned and where they approximately disappeared from view. And here, it seems, is our hero of day,- Zelda said, stopping the video.  
The screen froze moment, the car just appeared in the frame, and, fortunately, you could easily see its size, make, but there was one, the most important-the numbers. Zelda pressed her brows together, hoping her vision was failing, but unfortunately it wasn't.  
-Oh, how lucky we are!-Henry shouted.  
Lena looked at him as if he were mad.  
-I don't understand what's good about it, a car with no license plates, even with broken license plates, it would be easier to find it, but here look for fistulas.  
-Lena, you've been working for two years, but you're just like a child. Such machine is ten times more likely get to pay attention, including on the cameras, did you know what the main benefits of DVRs to the police?Henry didn't wait for an answer.:-Their algorithms automatically identify the intruder, sending an alert to the database. How many times do you think this Uilenspiegel* from the modern world managed to get on the list of violators? How many cameras registered it? Even if he was driving on deserted roads, the cameras registered him. You need to make a request to the police Department, road and Park patrol. Can I do this?Henry turned to Zelda, who simply waved her hand in approval, still completely engrossed in what was happening on the screen.  
-Let Lena help you, it will be faster.  
Lena immediately went to her work computer, while Henry watched Zelda carefully. Something was bothering him: he knew that expression too well, he knew those brows that were furrowed in heavy thoughts too well.  
-You don't like something, do you?Henry asked.  
Zelda finally turned her attention to the man, and she smiled slightly as she answered:   
-In our work, it is common to look for pitfalls, I periodically forget about the simplicity of some things...  
-Maybe you just need to relax?Henry suggested.  
-Maybe I should, but I won't rest until I find the kid, and I'm sure his mom won't give me any peace,-Zelda said sarcastically.  
-She's pretty good, by the way.  
Zelda's face fell in surprise and she laughed out loud.   
-Mr. Basharan, should I worry about such a statement? Look, I don't want to lose my best employee because of an office romance.  
-You don't have to worry about that: I've given my heart to you and my work, even though it's basically the same thing.  
Mary was finally able to return home, and she decided that it would be better for her to be alone, to be absorbed in her work, to leave the fate of her son, her fate in the hands of fate, in the hands of the investigator. Unfortunately, she had no choice. She hadn't been in this place for less than a day, but it felt like decades. It seemed like this apartment was leaving a young woman, and returned the old lady, who had seeing that people never dreamed of: attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion and C beams glitter in the darkness at Tannhauser gate, but it seemed that all these moments lost in time like tears in the rain, it seemed it was her time to die.   
Boston is absolutely beautiful, but like any city, it is different from all sides; hundreds of thousands of different people, from different hair colors to different faiths, from different holidays to different values. Here on one street, next to the mosque, there were shops with christian icons, and european atheists walked next to covered muslim women. The city is like a stained glass window consisted of different colors, and each man, each look, each building was a place, each of them was special and unique, but still even in this kaleidoscope of colors was the unity, composition: families that were finally able to be home with each other, were single men looking for arms in the hands of the same single women who had children, hurrying to tell about your new friend and join him outside. And there were two completely different women, a suffering, self-defeating mother and a calm, cold-blooded woman. They were different from each other in everything, but they had the same goal-to find the missing child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uilenspiegel is a hero of medieval Dutch and German legends and folk books. Ulenspiegel constantly deceives both townspeople and peasants; he embodies a free and independent spirit of personal initiative, incompatible with a sedentary lifestyle. In a way, a person who is not written any law.

**Author's Note:**

> ¹Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky (July 24 [August 4] 1757, Mirgorod, Russian Empire — April 6 [18] 1825, Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire) was a Russian artist[4], portrait master, and academician of the Imperial Saint Petersburg Academy of arts.  
> ²Gryla is an Icelandic mythological character, a monstrous giantess who lives in the mountains of Iceland. A horror story for naughty children; parents scare their children with stories that Grila comes from the mountains at Christmas in search of disobedient people who do not want to eat or constantly whine.  
> ³Leppaludi(Leppa)-Gryla's husbend.


End file.
